One-piece sheet metal tray construction



March 27, 1956 c, LARSON 2,739,728

ONE-PIECE SHEET METAL TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Charles 0. Larson @MMW March 27, 1956 c. o. LARSON 2,739,728

ONE-PIECE SHEET METAL TRAY CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 26, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 $2 3 Chaz'zes O. Larson 2,739,728 ONE-PIECE SHEET METAL TRAY CONSTRUCTION Charles 0. Larson, Sterling, Ill., assignor to Chas. O. Larson Company, Sterling, 111., a corporation of Illinois This invention relates to a new and improved onepiece sheet metal tray construction, especially designed and adapted for use in shops and other places, in which to keep small tools and the like, but suitable for various other uses.

'The principal object is to provide a tray construction of the kind mentioned that is simple and economical to manufacture and adapted to be fastened to the wall easily using only one screw or nail at each end, the construction being such that the tray will nevertheless be quite rigid and sturdy.

A salient feature of the present tray construction is theprovision of integral end walls that are struck on an are at the front lower edge to conform to the curvature of the bottom of the trough-shaped body portion for neatness in appearance, these end walls having the rear portion cut otf square for locating and supporting engagement 'with the wall on which the tray is mounted.

Another important feature is the provision of inturned flanges on the rear portion of the end walls arranged to be overlapped by the top rear corners of the troughshaped body portion of the tray and secured in such relationship by the nails or screws that are entered through registering holes provided in these abutting portions, the nails or screws, one at each end of the tray, serving to fasten the tray to the wall for support.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figs. 1 to 3 are perspective views of trays made in accordance with my invention, shown as being made in graduated sizes to accommodate different sizes of small tools;

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of these trays;

Fig. 5 is a top view of the same tray; and

Fig. 6 shows the flat sheet metal blank from which the tray of Figs. 4 and 5 is formed.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout these views.

Referring first to Figs. 4 to 6, the sheet metal blank 10 shown in Fig. 6 comprises a rectangular main middle portion 11 on the opposite ends of which are integral extensions 12 and 13 that are also generally rectangular in form except for the arcuate edges 14 on the inner ends of these extensions next to the narrow connecting webs 15. This blank is punched from the flat sheet and requires only the bending of the rectangular main middle portion 11 into a trough shape, as indicated at 16 in Fig. 4, and the bending of the extensions 12 and 13 at the webs 15 into parallelism to provide end walls 17 and 18 for the tray, the arcuate edges 14 conforming nicely. to the curvature of the bottom of the trough 16 throughapproximately 90, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. While I prefer, for the sake of economy, to leave the ends 17 and 18 free, they could easily be soldered or welded to the trough 16 along the edges 14. The end walls 17 and 18 are shown as held in abutment with the ends of the trough-shaped body 16 by means of the end portions 19 and 20 of the extensions 12 and 13, the portions 19 and 20 being bent at right angles toward one another on the lines a-b and c'd toifprovide the flanges 21 and 22 which serve teprovide locating and supporting engagement with the wall indicated at W in Fig. 4. These flanges 21 and 22 are overlapped by the top rear corner portions 23 and 24 ofthe trough-shaped body 16 and there are registering holes in theseabutting portions, as indicated at 25 and 26, through'which nails or screws can be entered to hold'the end walls 17 and 18 of the tray in assembled abutting relation to the ends of the trough-shaped body 16 and atthe sametime fasten the tray to the wall W for support. In the present case screws 27 are illustrated forthis purpose.

It is'clear from the above description that I have pro vided a one-piece sheet metal tray construction that is simpleand economical to manufacture and will find many uses in shops and other places for'the handy storage of small tools and other articles. For example, the smallest size tray A illustrated in'Fig. I. is adapted to receive a full set of sockets 28 of graduated sizes for a socket wrench set, enabling the keeping of these sockets in an orderly fashion for the quicker selectionflof the particular size needed. The next larger sizeftray B, illustrated in Fig.

2, islargeenoughto accommodate the wrench 29, and the next larger tray 0, illustrated in Fig. 3, will accommodate other tools 30. The tray B corresponds to that illustrated in Figs- 4 and 5 but ineach instance the same construction is employed and hence the same reference numerals are applied to designate the trough-shaped body 16, opposed end ,walls 17 and 18, inturned flanges 21 and 22, and so on.

It is believed the foregoingdescription conveys a good understanding or .the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimatemodifications and adaptations.

I claim;

1. In' combinationfa receptacle of the general class described made from a single piece of sheet material consisting "of arectangular main finiddle portion and smallergenerally. rectangular integral end extensions, the middle portion being bent'transversely of its length to form an elongated trough-shaped body open at the ends and providing a back wall,bottom wall, and front wall, and the end extensions 'beingdntegrally connected at one 'endto the front wall and'be'nt substantially at right angles to the plane of the front wall to abut and close the open ends of the troughy'the'end extensions being larger in the dimension front to rear of the trough than the trough and the portion on eachend extension extending rearwardly beyond the back wall of the trough and being bent at right angles to the plane of said end extension to form an attaching and supporting flange of appreciable width adapted for abutment with and fastening to a wall to which the trough-is to be secured for support, and a single fastener extending through the upper end portion of each of said flanges to secure the same to a wall for support of the'receptacle thereon and so as I tojthe front wall. and bent substantially at right angles to the plane 'of the front wall-"to abut and close the; open ends of the trough, the end extensions being larger in the dimension front to rear of the trough than the trough and the portion on each end extension extending beyond the rear of the trough and being bent inwardly of at right angles to the plane of said end extension to" form an attaching and supporting flange of vappreciable width having overlappingabutment with the back-wall of the trough and adapted. for fastening to. a wall with said back wall, and asingle fastener extending through the overlapping. portion ;of the back wall and the upper end portion of each of said flanges to secure the same .to a wall for support of the receptacle thereon while maintaining abutment of the back wall with the flanges and accordingly holding the front and back walls of the trough-shaped, body in a fi-xed spaced relationship.

3. In combination, .a receptacle of the general class described made from a single piece of sheet material consisting of a rectangular main middle portion and smaller generally rectangular integral and extensions, the middle portion being bent transversely of its length to form an elongated trough-shaped body vopen at the ends and providing a back wall, bottom wall, and front wall, and the end extensions being integrallyaconnected at one end to the front wall and bent substantially. at right angles to the plane of the front wall to abut and close the open ends of the trough, the endextensions being larger in the dimension front to rear of the, trough than the trough and the portion on each end extension extending beyond the rear of the troughand being bent inwardly behind the trough in abutment with the back wall thereof at right angles to the plane of said end extension to form an attaching and supporting flange of appreciable width having overlapping abutment with the back wall of the trough and adapted for fastening to a wall with the back.

wall of the trough, there being registering holes provided in the back wall of the trough and in the flanges adapted for extension through said registering holes of fastening nails or screws, and a single jastener extending through said registering holes in the overlapping portion of the back wall and the upper .end portion of each of said flanges to secure the same to a wall for support of the receptacle thereon while maintaining abutment of the back wall with the flanges accordingly holding the front and back walls .of thettrough-shapedtbody in a fixed spaced relationship.

4. In combination, a receptacle of the general class described made from asingle piece of sheet material consisting of a rectangular main middle portion and smaller generally rectangular integral end ,textensions, the middle portion being bent transversely f its length to form an elongated trough shaped body open at the ends and providing a downwardlyarched bottom. wall terminating in verticalfront and back walls and the end extensions being integrally connected with the front wall and bent substantially at right angles totheplne of the front wall to abut and close the open .ends of the trough, and the end extensions abutting the ends of the trough having front lower corners cut on arcs. which register with the arc of the bottom of -.the.trough, the end extensions being otherwise of truly rectangular'shape, the end extensions being larger in the dimension from to rear of the trough than the trough and the portion on each end extension extending rearwardly beyond the back wall of the trough and being bent at right anglesto the plane of said end extension to form an attaching and supporting flange of appreciable width haying oyetlapping abutment with the back wall of the trough andadapted for fastening to a wall to whichthe trough islto be secured vfor support, and ,a single fastener. extending through the overlapping portion of the back wall andthe upper end portiono'f each of saidflanges to seoure the same to a for support of the receptacle thereon while maintaining abut ment of the back wall with the flanges and accordingly holding the frontand .back walls of the trough-shaped body in a fixedspaced relationship.

4, i 5. A receptacle of the general class described made "rrom'a single piece of sheet material consisting of 8. rec tangular main middle portion and smaller generally rectangular integral end extensions, the middle portion being bent transversely of its length to form an elongated troughshaped body open at the ends, and the end extensions being bent substantially at right angles to the plane of p the sheet material to abut and close the open ends of the trough, said middle portion being bent substantially in ,a semi-circle and the end extensions each having the: corner next to the middle portion cut-away on an arc of approximately the same radius through nearly 90' leaving only-a narrow connecting web between these'iportions of the piece the arcuate corner on each extension registering with the are of the trough when the extensions are in abutment with ends of the trough, the end extensions being larger in the dimension front to rear of the trough than the trough and the portion on each end extension extending beyond the rear or the trough being bent; inwardly behind the trough in abutment with the' back wall thereofat rightangles to the plane of saidend extension to form an attaching and supporting flange of I appreciable width adapted for abutment with and fastening ,to'a wall with the back wall of the trough .by' a nail or :screw passed through the back wall and each flange .keepingpthe same in the abutting relationship described.

6. A receptacle of the general class described .made from asingle piece of sheet material consisting of .a rectangular mainmiddle portion and smaller generally rec tangular .integralv endextensions, the middle portion being bent transversely of its length to form an elongated trough shaped body openat the ends, and the end extensions being bentsubstantially at right angles to the plane lof. the sheet material: to abut and close :the openends of the trough, said middle portion being bent substantially in a semi-circle, .and the end extensions each having the corner- :next to the middle portion cut away on ;an arc of approximately the sameradius through nearly 9.0 leaving only a narrow connecting web between these pottions of the piece, the arcuate corner on each extension. registering with the arc of the trough when theexten}; sions are in abutment with ends of the trough, the ,end extensions being larger in the dimension front to rearof the trough than thetrough and the portionon each end extension extending beyond therear of the trough being bent inwardly behind the trough in abutment witlit thc backwall thereof at right angles to the plane of saidend. extension to form an attaching and supporting flange .of appreciable width adapted for abutment with andfasltening. to a wall with the back wall of the trough, there being registering holes provided in the back wall of the trough and in the upper end portion of said flanges adapted for extension through said registering holes of fastening nails or screws to secure the receptacle to a supporting wall. and ,at the same time keep theback wall. and flangesin the abutting relationship described.

v ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED :STATES PATENTS Great Britain -t "1s s9 

